TREMONT — The price of walking onto the Maine State Ferry Service’s Captain Henry Lee and riding between Bass Harbor and Swan’s Island or Frenchboro would go up March 28 under a “rate adjustment” proposed by the Maine Department of Transportation, which operates the ferry service. A hearing on the proposal is set for Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 6:30 p.m. at the Swan’s Island School. Hearings also will be held later this month on Islesboro and Vinalhaven.

For Maine residents who take a car, pickup or van to Swan’s Island, a round-trip ticket would cost slightly more than it does now, but the price would drop for people from out of state. Conversely, taking a vehicle to Frenchboro would cost less for Maine residents and more for out-of-staters.

Similar rate changes are proposed for the ferries between Lincolnville and Islesboro and between Rockland and North Haven, Vinalhaven and Matinicus.

According to state law, half of the ferry service’s annual budget, which this year is about $11 million, is to come from passenger and vehicle fares and from parking fees. The other half is to come from the state’s highway fund. In recent years, fare and parking revenue has averaged only $4.5 million, about $1 million short of the overall target for rider fees.

Over the past year, DOT considered several options for increasing the ferry service’s revenue before settling on the proposed fare adjustments.

The department estimates that the rate adjustments will boost annual ferry service revenue by about $738,000 to just under $5.2 million.

The proposed rate adjustments call for the price of a round-trip ticket between Bass Harbor and Swan’s Island for an adult without a vehicle to go from $9.75 to $12 for Maine residents and from $17.50 to $19 for out-of-state residents. A round-trip ticket to Frenchboro would rise from $11.25 to $12 for in-state residents and from $11.25 to $19 for people from away.

Children’s round-trip fares would see similar percentage increases.

Round-trip tickets for passenger vehicles on the Bass Harbor-Swan’s Island route would rise from $27.25 to $29 for Maine residents but drop from $49.50 to $44 for out-of-staters.

The price of a round-trip between Bass Harbor and Frenchboro would drop from $32.25 to $29 for Maine residents and increase from $32.25 to $44 for people who live out of state.

Dick Broom

Reporter at Mount Desert Islander

Dick Broom covers the towns of Mount Desert and Southwest Harbor, Mount Desert Island High School and the school system board and superintendent's office. He enjoys hiking with his golden retriever and finding new places for her to swim. [email protected]